BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

Which end of the bridge? Can someone get a photo? Note: bicycling on the sidewalk is typically banned in business districts, but is legal elsewhere. The official GAP route is not on the car lanes of that bridge, but on the sidewalk.

It's on the McKeesport side. I wish I would have gotten a photo, but I don't live close enough to easily to do so. The reason I said it is illegal is there is a sign directing cyclist to dismount, but again no one does that.

There's actually a gap on both ends of that sidewalk. Been that way. Just about as soon as you make the right turn onto the sidewalk from the paved trail coming up from McKeesport you'll find the one problem, the other is on the opposite end near the point where you're transitioning from the sort of open sidewalk to the part that's on the actual bridge (over the water). It's a narrow gap in the cement like an empty expansion joint. Sorry to hear you were injured on that, dlusher2.

Sounds like a worthy addition to this old thread. If bikes can go there, and it's legal infrastructure, and can throw cyclists, it's on-topic. Now up to six pages, as veteran board readers know, but if you're new here, feel free to peruse the whole thread so you know where many others are.

The McKeesport-PortVue 15th Street Bridge and the sidewalk which the original poster refers to is the official route of the GAP. Although most cyclists stick to the sidewalk, there really is enough room in both directions to use the roadway instead. The recent update of the Montour Trail's GAP connection, complete with new signage, offers a different option. These directions are based on Pgh-to-DC, starting in McKeesport at the police station. Come out to Lysle Blvd. Cross the Bridge Immediate Right Turn on Erie Street First Right on Rebecca First Right on River Road, teardrop under the bridge. Now you've joined the Montour Trail Connector to the eastbound GAP. Continue on River Road, pass underneath the 15th Street Bridge and intercept the GAP. This skips the second half of the McKeesport experience: the Marina, the transition at Kane Hospital onto the streets, the projects, the climb up 11th Street, and the confusion as to the right-left fork at the loop just before the 15th Street Bridge. Now, the downside: River Road is marked "share the road" but it's all roadway, no shoulder, and the lanes are probably 11 or 12 feet. There are heavy trucks from the industrial sites. When I rode through there about two weeks ago, all the drivers were playing very nice. It's a decent route for a rider comfortable with traffic. It's not a great route for cyclists nervous about traffic, who prefer a trail experience. I would not take young cyclists or low-time cyclists through there. I think the best route is still the published route, just using the lane instead of the sidewalk on the 15th Street Bridge. Just pointing out an new option, it's always good to have an alternative route. also, very sorry to hear you got banged up, @dlusher2 ! next time anybody's out there with some orange paint, it couldn't hurt to mark the hazard.

Thanks for all of the suggestions and the concern about my injury. Although the injury itself was pretty severe, it didn't keep me down. It was only my left ring finger, a superfluous appendage for cyclists, especially right-handed ones. I only missed 2 days of riding, and did 78 miles last Saturday.

Yale and I visited the bridge and got this photo from its east end. The bike in this picture has a 28mm wide tire on front and 32mm rear. There's a similar, but less severe crack at the west end of the bridge.

I sent a message to Bob MacGregor, on the McKeesport Trail Commission, asking them to fill the crack. That's the group that maintains trails in this area.

Great idea. Thank you for doing that. I'm so glad that I posted this.

Note that instead of doing the 15th St Br or the other route (a decent choice), you can also go up the (right?) bank of the Yough, to Versailles, then cross the bridge to Boston. The cut-off is just before the 15th Br (right where there's this booster plaque singing the praises of that particular route; I'm not sure it's still there, but it's priceless). Anyway, you get to cruise through this picturesque landscape of post-industrial wasteland, reflecting on what had been but is no longer. Worth it. Last time through there I was chased by maybe-rabid dogs. But really, give it a shot; I'm sure they're dead by now.

LOL, that's the greatest, uh, glass-half-full statement I've heard today.

@paul that's a great photo.

Has the trail up to Versailles been completed or improved? Last time I was that way (about a year ago) it was sections of gravel, sections of pavement, sections of dirt, holes, etc. I thought it was plenty fun to ride through and see it all - but it certainly wasn't good for getting anywhere fast.